In automotive electronic systems, an ignition coil typically induces hundreds of volts to drive a starter motor. The ignition coil is typically controlled by a high voltage switch (e.g., IGBT, MOSFET, etc.) to couple the ignition coil to the battery voltage. If there is a momentary drop in battery voltage, the momentary drop may cause the gate of the high voltage switch to discharge and turn off, which in turn may cause a floating high voltage condition at the ignition coil. The floating high voltage condition usually results in a spark from a primary of the ignition coil to a secondary of the ignition coil, which may be dangerous and/or damaging to nearby electronic components. A conventional approach to resolve this sparking issue includes the use of a large capacitor to essentially act as a battery and keep the high voltage switch on and conducting during momentary drops in battery voltage. This approach, however, requires the use of a relatively large capacitor, which requires additional cost and physical space to implement.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative example embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.